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When a quad-core processor is tested in the factory, sometimes one or more of the cores fail the manufacturer’s quality control, and so these cores are disabled and the processor is sold as a dual- or (in AMD’s case) a triple-core processor. The Phenom II X2 550 is actually a quad-core processor with two cores disabled, but Arbico has unlocked these disabled cores. The company has guaranteed that it has an adequate supply of stable, unlocked 550s to fulfil orders for the Phenom 5550 QCS.
The result of this unlocking is a noticeable performance jump. When we tested the Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition recently, it scored 91 overall, whereas Arbico’s Phenom 5550 QCS scored 108 and posted consistently higher scores in the other tests, too. This means it’s powerful enough to handle just about anything you’d care to throw at it.
Along with the fast processor, Arbico has installed a Radeon HD 5550 graphics card. This wasn’t powerful enough to run Call of Duty 4 at a playable 30fps, but if you reduce settings, for example by turning off anti-aliasing, you should see smooth gameplay. It’s capable of playing older games, but as more and more games use the latest 3D technologies to increase realism, you’ll find the 5550 will hold you back. It will also speed up applications, such as the latest version of Photoshop, which support GPU acceleration.
Without the monitor, the Phenom 5550 QCS still costs £460, mainly due to the expense of the graphics card which won’t satisfy serious gamers. If gaming isn’t a requirement, CyberPower’s Infinity i3 Apollo XT base unit is better value at £418 thanks to the faster CPU.
